Voice mail systems, which allow users to amongst other things, record voice messages, has become ubiquitous in modern society. Voice mail systems have been used for years in the work setting. The technology has proven so useful that demand for it has moved into the individual consumer market. Many mobile phone service plans now include voice mail service as a standard feature.
Traditionally, voice mail systems have employed proprietary technology. For example, a voice mail system might have been designed, installed, and maintained by a single vendor. Systems may comprise hardware and software that was developed specifically for a particular voice mail installation and which is proprietary to the vendor.
There has been a movement away from proprietary hardware and software in the design of voice mail systems toward the use of standard hardware components and commercially available software.